Jainism

Author(s): N R Guseva
Publisher: Sindu Publications P L

Page 18

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JAINISM
caste? Had all the Janapadas, without fail, the clearly expressed class-caste groups, one of which might have been called the caste of Kshatriya?
While attempting to answer these questions, it is worthwhile to return to the etymology of the word "Kshatri" or more correctly 'Khastriya'.
Two suggestions, one flowing from the other can serve as an answer, which is precisely this: the word 'Kshatri' from which the word Kshatriya was formed later, signifies in Sanskrit, 'killer', 'cutter', 'distributor', from the stem kshad-to kill, to carve meat, to divide, to distribute food and also sometimes, to give shelter. Kshatri also means charioteer, driver of the harness. The word 'Kshatra' signifies strength, might, power, domination.5
Is it not proper to conclude from this that the head of each commune-family group was known sometime by the name of Kshatri? It is possible that this designation already existed during the stage of hunting economy; amongst the shepherds' patriarchal tribes, those males of the tribe who headed the family-kin (tribal) groups were precisely called Kshatri. House slaves also were a component part of these groups in the period of family-patriarchal slavery.
It is also possible that not only the heads of these groups but all the males of the tribes in general, each of whom can potentially head the family-kin group were called Kshatri.
This means, that this designation could exist (and most likely, did exist) in the pre-caste, pre-class society of the Aryans, long before their appearance in India.
Probably all these Kshatri were not always and necessarily converted into members of the Kshatriya-soldier caste, in the process of the subsequent historical development of the Aryan society.
Growth of the settled way of life, development of agriculture and trade, division of trades-all this required specialisation of economic activity and at this stage, from the pre-Vedic Kshatri not only the warrior-caste was formed but also other groups of population, out of which later, in the developed
5. M. Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p. 325; V. S. Apte, The Students Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p. 170.